As we move into chapter seven of Revelation we enter into territory over which there is strong disagreement between Christians. Our approach toward a proper understanding of Revelation is to begin by taking it on its own terms. As we saw at the beginning of the series, the Book of Revelation began as a letter sent to the churches in the region of Asia Minor. It was meant to strengthen the first century church in times of great tribulation. This is the very purpose the Book of Revelation has served in every generation since. It is a book of prophecy which is to say, it is a word from the Lord concerning events to be fulfilled in both the near and more distant future. And like all Apocalyptic Literature, Revelation makes great use of symbolic language, numbers, and word pictures to depict real circumstances and events.

Chapter seven is a theological interlude between the opening of the sixth and seventh seal. It is the answer to the question “Who can stand?” (6:17). Who will endure through the final judgments of God in the final days? The question is answered in John’s description of the church in symbolic and redemptive historical categories. First John hears the church described in our militant state as we inhabit a hostile world (vv. 1-8). It is a description of the church militant, the church at war. The roll call of the 144,000 is highly symbolic and recalls the assembling of the twelve tribes of Israel for battle. The arrangement of the 12 twelve tribes as John hears the roll call is unique from any other accounting in Scripture and is meant to point beyond ethnic Israel to the multinational church of Jesus Christ. It is the vast company of God’s redeemed, all of whom have been sealed by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14). Secondly, John is then allowed to see them and what he beholds is not simply 144,000 men but the great multitude of the church in final victory, at peace in the presence of the Lord (7:9-17). The war is over. Sin, death and the devil have been cast away forever. “The great church victorious shall be the church at rest.”